A Levels

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Sixth Form college is too much like school for many kids. And will he do well if he's forced to take subjects he doesn't really want to do, just so he can be kept in somewhere even more like school?


If he wants to take it, make it possible for him by supporting an application to a different college. Don't insult his intelligence by telling him he's too much of a kid to study it, please.

notanewuser

Hermia wrote: »

I have never heard of that happening. Are there not any colleges near you that run A-levels? I did my A-levels at college rather than sixth form and it was an amazing experience. It's more like a university so you have facilities that schools just would never have and you meet a bigger range of people. I know I didn't have to pay at the time, but I am not sure if that is the same now.

I did it (20 years ago, admittedly) to study maths - my school wasn't set up for those wanting to study maths and music (plus other subjects). The schools weren't linked in any way but amazingly the timetable worked with just 1 hour clashing. I alternated which class i missed each week. For the first 4 terms I also had to walk 1.5 miles each way between the schools for the lessons. After that I drove myself.

notanewuser

DevilsAdvocate1 wrote: »

As it happens, Newcastle sixth form college is running A Level music. But the environment seemed too grown up for DS (we went to the open evening). I don't think he is ready for this yet.

At 16 your son could marry (with your permission), have a baby or join the army. If a sixth form college is "too grown up" for him, something has gone badly wrong somewhere!!

Savvy_Sue

I'd look at other colleges but also ask his current school whether they would support him doing another subject elsewhere.

The boys' school offered computing as a twilight subject, for example: if you wanted to do that at A level you stayed after school a couple of days a week (and had extra free time during the school day).

Spendless

Our friends sent their son to a sixth form college because it wasn't like
school sixth form. All but one of our secondary schools has a sixth form, the kids still have to wear school uniform regardless of age. Another friends son was 19 yesterday , still is in sixth form due to bad results last year and wears the same style clothes to go to school daily as he did when he was 11. They participate in the school day just like the younger years with assemblies etc.

By contrast friends that sent their son to sixth form college in a nearby town as we don 't have one, wore his own clothes and there was a more grown-up 'feel' to it. His Mum described it as a good balance between finishing GCSE's and going to Uni.

In what way do you consider your son 'not ready' to go OP?

hazyjo

As Spendless says, it can be the best option.

My school was very strict. Even up to age 16, we were dictated to. Had to ask to remove your blazer if you were too hot (often to a 'no'). Most people were 'Sir' or 'Miss', etc. Some wore gowns. All very formal.

I was quite timid, but went to a local college for a year's course. Called all the teachers by their first names, they treated us as adults and independent people rather than children, we wore our own clothes, we loved our classes, I wasn't made to feel scared or intimidated to put my hand up and absolutely shone - was put forward for higher exams than most others in the class. I was nothing like that at school. Would hide in the medical room sometimes if the teacher was particularly scary or shouty. I have no idea how I'd have coped going straight from school into a job. College was by far the best thing I ever did.

I would definitely look into other options. I think that 'inbetween' option is brilliant.

At my school, we had sixth formers who moved to our school from others. Don't know if you can still swap schools completely rather than trying to do one subject at one and the others where you currently are.

Jx

19lottie82

Surely if your son is taking A levels then you want him to go to Uni after that? So, wouldn't 6th year college be an ideal stepping stone, as Uni will be a FAR more grown up environment than 6th year college.

securityguy

DevilsAdvocate1 wrote: »

As it happens, Newcastle sixth form college is running A Level music. But the environment seemed too grown up for DS (we went to the open evening). I don't think he is ready for this yet.

It's OK. You can park your helicopter outside.

barbarawright

Just attending for music is rather different than turning up for physics or chemistry though (as a few girls did at my school). Won't he want to be in an orchestra or choir which might be tricky if he wasn't at the school all the time?

Loz01

If he was doing music at uni maybe it might be different - my friend was the ONLY person doing AS and A Level French because she was doing it at Uni so our sixth form basically ran it just for her!